Tech Enthusiast Manually Modifies Consumer-Grade RTX 5090 to Outperform the Massive RTX Pro 6000}

A modified ASUS ROG Astral LC RTX 5090, enhanced via shunt mod, has demonstrated performance surpassing the $10,000 RTX Pro 6000.

"Shunt Mod" is a high-risk hardware circuit modification technique used to bypass built-in power and current limits in electronic devices, especially high-performance graphics cards and motherboards.

This astonishing achievement was carried out by hardware overclocking expert Der8auer (Roman Hartung), renowned for extreme overclocking of GPUs, CPUs, and other hardware.

Der8auer mentioned he hadn't performed shunt mod on a GPU for some time. His goal was to unlock the power limit and test the GPU's performance potential, aiming to see if unlocking power limits could boost performance.

Modifying Hardware to Increase Power Limits

While Der8auer used shunt mod to bypass power restrictions, this method carries risks, including potential damage or reduced lifespan of high-value GPUs if improperly performed. Concerns also exist about increased stress on the 16-pin power connector at 800W.

So, what is the ideal shunt mod? Der8auer waited to perform the mod until he acquired a GPU with an efficient all-in-one liquid cooling (AiO) system, which better handles higher power loads. His tests showed the ASUS ROG Astral LC RTX 5090 runs quieter than the air-cooled version and offers extensive tuning via ASUS GPU Tweak III software, which was useful during modifications.

Initial benchmarks showed the liquid-cooled RTX 5090 was stable at 600W, with quieter operation and potential for higher power. Der8auer concluded that the 600W limit significantly restricts overclocking potential.

The modification involved altering the resistance near the power connector to trick the control circuit into thinking the GPU consumes less power, allowing higher power draw. Specifically, a 5 milliohm resistor was paralleled with the onboard 2 milliohm resistor, enabling about 30% extra power capacity without detection.

Using WireView, Der8auer monitored real-time power consumption. The 16-pin power connector's sensing pins also provided input power data, maintaining monitoring capabilities post-modification.

Post-mod, the GPU's power increased from 660W to 720W, with core frequency reaching 2,950MHz. Performance improved, with FPS rising from 146 to 152, surpassing the $10,000 RTX Pro 6000. Temperatures remained stable at around 60°C for GPU and 80°C for memory, with actual power consumption reaching 750-790W, about 200W higher than the display readings.

Der8auer noted this mod is suitable for liquid-cooled GPUs, especially AIO or custom loop models, but may not be ideal for air-cooled cards due to heat dissipation challenges.

In summary, the modified RTX 5090 outperformed the $10,000 RTX Pro 6000, though with significantly higher power consumption. Compared to unmodified RTX 5090 and 96GB professional GPUs, the power draw is notably increased.

For more details, visit the original article: Tom's Hardware Article